Mandolins highlight bluegrass festival

By MICHAEL ECK, Special to the Times Union

First published in print: Sunday, July 18, 2010
OAK HILL -- When was the last time you heard five mandolinists all running headlong at "Old Joe Clark."
Well, about 5 o'clock on Friday evening if you were at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival.
One of the highlights of Friday's whopping day of activities and performances was a Masters Stage workshop dedicated to the mandolin, featuring David Grisman, Ronnie McCoury, Joe Walsh, Sarah Jarosz and Buddy Merriam, all of whom are stars in their own right.
They also put their 40 strings to use on "Wheel Hoss," "Golden Slippers" and -- because it's a bluegrass festival -- Bill Monroe's archetypal "Bluegrass Stomp."
McCoury talked about playing on a mandolin that Grisman had given him 20 years ago; and Merriam offered that he began playing bluegrass after hearing The Dawg's work with Old and in The Way in the 70s.
As tribute, McCoury suggested a combo rendition of Grisman's classic "EMD."
Grisman was also found later on the Main Stage, leading his DGBX band (the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience).
The latter group fuses many of the things Grisman does best -- playing mandolin, furthering the cause of acoustic music and keeping the history alive.
Grisman chatted about each tune before playing it, giving lessons on the Carter Family, Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs and The Stanley Brothers, with the entire set crossing the arc of bluegrass from its earliest days to the present.
He and and banjo man Keith Little especially shone on the Carter's "Gold Watch and Chain."
Later on the Main Stage McCoury would join his father Del and his long-standing family-anchored band for a set as well.

Jammin’ under the stars

Bluegrass’ best returns to Oak Hill at Grey Fox Festival

By Hilary Hawke  
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
Published: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 2:15 AM EDT

DURHAM — For the third year in a row, the world-famous 34th Annual Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival returns to the 200-acre Walsh Farms in Oak Hill, and guitar pickers everywhere are rejoici
Up to 14,000 are expected to attend either a portion of the four-day festival or camp out for the entire event.
With almost three dozen scheduled performers, nearly a dozen food vendors and booths selling everything from musical instruments and supplies to crafts, jewelry and clothing, the festival is a kid-friendly, family oriented and affordable getaway.
“The festival is much more than just music,” said Public Relations Manager Mary Burdette. “It’s like a huge family reunion, a community of people where everyone knows one another. Everyone shares a love of the music, a love of the venue and a love of the outdoors.”
There’s nothing like hearing hundreds of players joining in on bluegrass standards like “Wheel Hoss,” “Old Dangerfield” and “Little Cabin Home on the Hill.” It’s even better when the jams take place under the Catskill Mountain stars, around a campfire or in one of the many performance tents.
Camping is one of the endearing quirks of the Grey Fox, offering an annual opportunity for people to reconnect with festival friends and kindred bluegrass fans and up to 4000 set up tents, trailers and campers on the festival grounds.

Winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association festival of the year award, the Grey Fox is that rare event which blurs the line between artist and audience. More

Report from Grey Fox

For a Weekend, the Grass Was Blue: 20,000 People From All Over Enjoy Annual Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival
July 20, 2009

By Scott Waldman, Albany Times Union, N.Y.
There is no depression at Grey Fox.
The bluegrass festival, which drew 20,000 people into a quiet corner of Greene County over the weekend, centers around music that is older than the Great Depression. And the current recession didn't stop hordes of people from traveling the globe just to hear one of this country's most authentic art forms and to play with other aficionados around tents and campers.
Read more.